Thera 1.28: Jambugamika's Son
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(28):Jambugamika's Son Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =28. Jambugāmika's Son= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Campā as the son of a lay-adherent named Jambugāmika,1 and became called 33 after his father. While studying as a novice in the Monk’s order, he lived at Sāketa, in the Añjana Grove.2 Then his father, thinking, 'I wonder if my son remains devoted to his life in the Monk’s order or not?' wrote the following verse to examine him, and sent it to him: ---- 28 Kacci no vatthapasuto kacci no bhūsanārato|| Kacci sīlamayaɱ gandhaɱ kiɱ tvaɱ vāyasi netarā pajā' ti.|| || ---- 28 And are you then not gratified by dresses? And are you then not charmed yourself to fashion? And is this fragrant odour, virtue-fraught, Wafted by you, and not by other folk? ---- When he had read2 this he thought: 'My father is suspicious that I want worldly vanities. Even to-day I have not got beyond the level of the common man!' Filled with anxiety, he strove and wrestled, so that he soon acquired the six abhinnas. And taking the verse his father sent him as a goad, he finally realized arahantship(enlightenment). And both to confess aññā(supreme attainment) and honour his father, he recited the verse. ---- 1 In the Commentary Jambugāmiya. The name refers to an office, and means syndic of the village of Kose-apple-trees, a place included by the Buddha on his last preaching tour (Dialogues, ii. 138), and which probably was a suburb of Campā (pronounced Champā), on the Ganges, the easternmost point of the Buddha's ministrations. 2 Cf. Sisters, pp. 84, 158; Bud. India, pp. 39, 40; Neumann, Majjh. translation, iii. 801, n. ---- 1.3-828 Commentary on the stanza of =Jambugāmiyaputta Thera= The stanza starting with kaccu no vatthapasuto constitues that of the venerable Thera Jambugāmiyaputta. What is the origin? It is said that he, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating good deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths in this and that existence, thirty one aeons (kappa) ago from now, at the time of the Glorius One Vessabhu, one day come across silk-cotton kapok (kiṃsuka) flowers, collected those blossoms and offered reverentially throwing them into the sky, dedicating them to the Blessed One reflecting suitably on the qualities of Buddha. On account of that act of merit he was reborn among the three and thirty devas in the Tavatiṃsa heaven. Thereafter, subsequently, he did meritorious deeds and wandering about his rounds of repeated rebirths now and then among divine and human beings was reborn as the son of a devotee named Jambupāmuya in Campā when this Buddha arose. Therefore, his name became but Jambugāmiyaputta. On having come of age, he listened to the dhamma in the presence of the Blessed One, suitably gained remorse, became a monk, finished doing his preliminary duties (pubbakicca) took hold of mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and lived in the jet-black (Añjana) forest at Sāketa. Then his father, in order to find out (vīmaṃsana) saying: “How is it, indeed, does my son live being particularly delighted in Buddha’s dispensation (sāsana) or not,” wrote a stanza starting with “Kacci no vattha-pasuto” and sent it. He had that stanza read (vāceti) became remorseful saying: “My father is doubtfuly anxious (āsaṇkati) about my negligent life; I also even today have not gone beyond the region of a common ordinary monk (puthujjanabhūmi),” and uniting (ghaṭento) and exerting (vāyamento) became an Arahant but before long. Hence it has been stated in the Apadāna:– “Having seen the silk-cotton (kiṃsuka) tree blossoming, I uplifted my clasped hands, remembered the most excellent Buddha and specially made reverential offering in the sky. On account of that deed well-done with volition (cetanā) and self- determination (paṇidhi), I reached Tāvatiṃsa on having forsaken my human body. Thirtyone aeons ago from now, it was that I did that deed then. I do not distinctly remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of (my) reverential offering to Buddha. My depravity had been burnt, … Buddha’s instruction has been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he went to the residential city of (his) relatives and showed the miracle by means of his magical powers in order to make manifest the state of way of escape from saṃsāra (niyyānika) of the dispensation (sāsana). On having seen that miracle, (his) relatives became pious-minded and made many monasteries for the clergy (Saṅgha). The Thera also having made a goad of the stanza sent by his own father uniting (ghaṭento) and making effort (vāyamanto) visualised Arahantship. In making manifest his attainment of Arahantship (aññā) also, he recited that self-same stanza, starting with “kaccino vatthapasuto” for the purpose of doing honour to (his) father. 28. There, kacci is interrogative particle (nipāta). No is negative particle. Vatthapasuto means being fond of clothes, greedy of garment; specially got delighted in adornment of (maṇ̄dana) robes; this is, however, just an example, because of the fact that it signifies also such fickleness (cāpalla) and negation (paṭikkhepa) as begging bowl finery and so on. There is such a variant reading (pāṭha) as “kacci na vatthapasuto;” that is but its meaning. Bhūsanārato means being delighted and especially pleased in adorning one’s own body (attabhāva); similar to some, who in spite of their having become monks are fickle athletic (daḷhī bahulā) physically, are engaged in the adorning and beautifying of not only such ecclesiastical essentials as robes and so on but also of their own bodies. “How even was it not in pursuit of recluse’s requisites and delight in adornment as well?” This is the meaning of the two feet of stanza (padadvaya), Sīlamayaṃ gandhaṃ means the sweet-scent made of moral precepts; this has been stated thus:– “This sweet-scent of those who possess moral precepts which is the most excellent blows its sweet smelling breeze among devas,” by way of excellently all-round pure fourfold moral-precepts by producing (āpādana) such condition as non-breakage (akhaṇ̄da) etc.; tvaṃ vāyasi means that breeze you blow; by being excellently prosperous in moral precepts (sīlasampatti), by good sound of repute what do you spread out to all directions? Thus, is the meaning. Netarā pajā means not other people of evil conduct; because of but bad moral percept bad smell made of bad moral precept blows with the breeze; without blowing in this manner the breeze of any bad small, do you blow the breeze of sweet smell made of moral precepts? Thus, is the meaning. In other words, netarā pajā means not other people of bad moral precepts; it does not happen in any way (kacci) since you blow sweet smell made of moral precepts. Thus, with surplus it makes manifest but the blowing of the sweet-smell of moral precept. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Jambugāmiy putta is complete. ----